I was browsing through my Royal Gazette archives this morning and stumbled across this bunny-related tale of woe.

I’d woken up a little late and catapulted myself out of bed with my heart racing at 100mph. Looking at the clock and figuring I could just about shower, get dressed, feed the veritable farm of children/animals and get to work within a 40-minute time frame, I dove into action.

All was going to plan until (there’s always an until!) just as I was feeding the bunnies, one of them escaped. She hopped over the bowl and out of the chicken coop (because where else would you keep bunnies) before I could blink.

This was the naughty one, called Oreo, named deliberately by Belle to wind me up. (The other one was called Sugar, so Chloe didn’t do any better.)

So there I was, with the clock ticking away, chasing a bunny called Oreo round the garden in a pair of heels, yelling out her name like the good nutritionist I am.

I was just about to give up when Oreo was distracted by a delicious patch of dandelion leaves and I flung myself across the lawn, catching her by the back legs.

I arrived at work only five minutes late, with grass in my hair and poured myself a large glass of wine. The latter is not true but I wish that it was.

Life is a little calmer these days. We have fewer animals and the kids are honestly (generally) a true delight.

I’m so lucky. But it was times like those that made me see me limping through the door at 5pm, woefully contemplating what to make for dinner. I would avoid complicated dinner recipes with a thousand ingredients and a million pans and just cover the basics.

This was one of the dishes I would roll out on the regular. I’d forgotten about it for a while so I was excited to find it! It’s on the menu for tonight which is a good thing as I can pack while it bubbles away.

In truth, by the time you read this, I should have escaped to Italy with the Irishman for a grown-ups only adventure.

We’re headed to the Dolomites for some rest, relaxation and hiking. I am not sure how those three actually go together but I’ve been told there are huts along the way that serve wine.

That’s really all I needed to know! I’m craving the big outdoors at the moment and I’m so excited to get out there and see some mountains. I’ll post a few pics on social media if you’re interested in following along!

But back to the recipe. This takes just a few minutes to throw together and then you can walk away.

The house will start to smell amazing as it cooks and it really is totally delicious. It’s packed full of flavour and is great for leftovers too.

I usually make double and then freeze the rest. So, if you’re bored of chicken, give this one a try.

It’s a whole new level of healthy deliciousness and I promise you, you’ll love it. If you don’t like olives, just leave them out (maybe throw in some baby tomatoes instead). Enjoy!

Chicken with Green Olives & Lemon (serves 4)

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs or 4 breasts (preferably skinless, organic)

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin strips

2 cups chicken stock (I like Kallo. Avoid brands with MSG.)

2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed under the flat of your knife and cut in half

20 large green olives, pitted

Leaves from 1 sprig of thyme or 1 tbsp dried

Juice of 1 large lemon

Serve with: brown rice, quinoa or sweet potatoes and half a plate of steamed green veg!

Directions:

1, Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. If using thighs, trim the excess fat. If using breasts, cut each one in half widthways. Thighs are more tender and recommended for this dish!

2, Place the olive oil in a large enamelled cast-iron pan set over medium-high heat.

3, Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, approximately four to five minutes on each side. Remove the chicken onto a plate and set aside.

4, Turn the heat to medium and add the onions and peppers to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften – three to four minutes. Add a splash of the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits that might be caught at the bottom of the pan.

5, Add the remaining stock to the pan and add the chicken, along with any juice that’s accumulated on the plate.

6, Scatter the garlic cloves, olives and thyme over the chicken. Evenly pour the lemon juice over everything.

7, Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down very low to a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Cook for one hour until the chicken is nearly falling apart. I turn the chicken once in the juices during this time, but otherwise leave it alone!

8, Uncover the pan, remove the chicken and turn up the heat. Mix one heaped tbsp corn starch with just enough water to make a solution.

Pour it into the juices while stirring gently as the sauce thickens. Pop the chicken back in and keep warm on a low heat until you serve it.

• Catherine Burns is a fully qualified clinical nutritionist. She can be contacted at 291-4725, clinicalnutrition@gmail.com or look for Nutrifit & Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook or @naturalbda on Instagram